The wildcatter's risky business

February 10, 2013 12:01 AM

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Harvey Howell, president of H.H. Howell, Inc., an oil and gas exploration company in San Antonio, calls to check the status of the arrival of a drilling rig at a site in Frio County, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013. The third generation wildcatter was investing $1.3 million in the drilling operation, marked by the stake in the foreground. He calculated his odds at finding oil at 10-1 against. less

Harvey Howell, president of H.H. Howell, Inc., an oil and gas exploration company in San Antonio, calls to check the status of the arrival of a drilling rig at a site in Frio County, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013. ... more

Anatolio Salinas watches the rigging as the monkey board is set in place on a rig at the drilling site in Frio County near Moore, Texas. The monkey board is used by the derrickman while moving pipe in or out of the hole. less

Anatolio Salinas watches the rigging as the monkey board is set in place on a rig at the drilling site in Frio County near Moore, Texas. The monkey board is used by the derrickman while moving pipe in or out of ... more

Anatolio Salinas watches the rigging as the monkey board is set in... Photo-4168533.56550 - Houston Chronicle

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Anatolio Salinas climbs up the rig as it is erected and prepared for drilling at the site. The main area of interest was a formation called the San Miguel Sandstone.

Anatolio Salinas climbs up the rig as it is erected and prepared for drilling at the site. The main area of interest was a formation called the San Miguel Sandstone.

Anatolio Salinas climbs up the rig as it is erected and prepared... Photo-4168534.56550 - Houston Chronicle

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Derrickman Nestor Lerma, right, gets help mixing mud from floorhand J.B. Espinoza, 21, of Freer. The chemicals were used to manage the consistency of the mud that built up the walls of the hole being drilled.

Derrickman Nestor Lerma, right, gets help mixing mud from floorhand J.B. Espinoza, 21, of Freer. The chemicals were used to manage the consistency of the mud that built up the walls of the hole being drilled.

Drilling crew members align the base for the derrick at the drilling site in Frio County. The work was funded by Harvey Howell, a third generation wildcatter from San Antonio. The rig's depth was set at 4,000 feet. less

Drilling crew members align the base for the derrick at the drilling site in Frio County. The work was funded by Harvey Howell, a third generation wildcatter from San Antonio. The rig's depth was set at 4,000 ... more

Drilling crew members align the base for the derrick at the... Photo-4168536.56550 - Houston Chronicle

Derrickman Nestor Lerma, Jr. 36, of Freer, opens up the holding tanks as the crew controls the consistency of the mud used in the drilling operation. Looking on is floorhand J.B. Espinoza, 21, of Freer. The mud is used during the drilling to build up the walls of the hole. less

Derrickman Nestor Lerma, Jr. 36, of Freer, opens up the holding tanks as the crew controls the consistency of the mud used in the drilling operation. Looking on is floorhand J.B. Espinoza, 21, of Freer. The mud ... more

On the last day of the work week, floorhand J.B. Espinoza, 21, of Freer, crosses himself, at the start of the twelve-hour shift. He was on his first week on the rig. The crew of four would head home and return to work the next Sunday to start a string of overnight shifts. less

On the last day of the work week, floorhand J.B. Espinoza, 21, of Freer, crosses himself, at the start of the twelve-hour shift. He was on his first week on the rig. The crew of four would head home and return ... more

On the last day of the work week, floorhand J.B. Espinoza, 21, of... Photo-4168540.56550 - Houston Chronicle

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Floorhands J.B. Espinoza, left, and Miguel Ortiz, move pipe out of the hole. Espinoza was on his first week on the rig.

Floorhands J.B. Espinoza, left, and Miguel Ortiz, move pipe out of the hole. Espinoza was on his first week on the rig.

At the end of the 12-hour shift, Miguel Ortiz, 21, right, of Alamo, Texas asks for his towel, as he and fellow floorhand, J.B. Espinoza, 21, of Freer, rush to get to a grocery story 20 miles away. The crew was staying in company-provided housing at the drilling site in Frio County. Midway through their week, they were running out of food and money. They were in rush to reach a Western Union before closing in order to receive money wired to them by their families. less

At the end of the 12-hour shift, Miguel Ortiz, 21, right, of Alamo, Texas asks for his towel, as he and fellow floorhand, J.B. Espinoza, 21, of Freer, rush to get to a grocery story 20 miles away. The crew was ... more

At the end of the 12-hour shift, Miguel Ortiz, 21, right, of Alamo,... Photo-4168544.56550 - Houston Chronicle

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After his shift, floorhand J.B. Espinoza, 21, calls his girlfriend while waiting for his turn to shower inside the company-provided housing at a drilling site in Frio County, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. It was Espinoza's first week on the rig. less

After his shift, floorhand J.B. Espinoza, 21, calls his girlfriend while waiting for his turn to shower inside the company-provided housing at a drilling site in Frio County, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. It was ... more

Before the start of the day, floorhand Miguel Ortiz, 21, of Alamo, Texas smokes a cigarette.

Before the start of the day, floorhand Miguel Ortiz, 21, of Alamo, Texas smokes a cigarette.

Before the start of the day, floorhand Miguel Ortiz, 21, of Alamo,... Photo-4168548.56550 - Houston Chronicle

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Smoking cigarettes, checking out Facebook and talking with spouses, derrickman Nestor Lerma, Jr., 36, of Freer, left, and driller Humberto Hinojosa, 51, of Benavides, watch the drilling rig after their 12-hour shift. There's nothing here to do, we don't have television, so we watch the rig, said Lerma. less

Smoking cigarettes, checking out Facebook and talking with spouses, derrickman Nestor Lerma, Jr., 36, of Freer, left, and driller Humberto Hinojosa, 51, of Benavides, watch the drilling rig after their 12-hour ... more

Harvey Howell, president of H.H. Howell, Inc., an oil and gas exploration company in San Antonio, keeps an eye on the drilling rig at the site in Frio County. Howell, a third generation wildcatter, was funding the operation. He was waiting for the the drilling to hit the San Miguel Sandstone formation an area of great interest. less

Harvey Howell, president of H.H. Howell, Inc., an oil and gas exploration company in San Antonio, keeps an eye on the drilling rig at the site in Frio County. Howell, a third generation wildcatter, was funding ... more

Mud logger Travis Scott, 35, washes shale samples coming out of the drilling site in Frio County. Scot works with Geo Tech Logging, which was contracted to monitor the rock formations for possible oil or gas deposits during the drilling. less

Mud logger Travis Scott, 35, washes shale samples coming out of the drilling site in Frio County. Scot works with Geo Tech Logging, which was contracted to monitor the rock formations for possible oil or gas ... more

Tool pusher Luis Garcia, 50, of Benavides, Texas, looks at the wellhead, all that remains after Arrow Drilling crews leave a drilling site in Frio County, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. The hole was a venture by third-generation wildcatter Harvey Howell, of San Antonio. After a week of drilling for oil, the hole came up dry. less

Tool pusher Luis Garcia, 50, of Benavides, Texas, looks at the wellhead, all that remains after Arrow Drilling crews leave a drilling site in Frio County, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. The hole was a venture by ... more

Third-generation wildcatter Harvey Howell weighs his decision before shutting down operations at a drilling site in Frio County, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. After a week of drilling and spending $1.3 million, the site came up dry. less

Third-generation wildcatter Harvey Howell weighs his decision before shutting down operations at a drilling site in Frio County, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. After a week of drilling and spending $1.3 million, the ... more